The Smallest Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

An ideal carbon nanotube can be constructed by rolling up a single sheet of graphite to make a seamless hollow cylinder. It can be thought of as a tubular nanocrystal of graphite. Different from bulk-quantity graphite material, however, carbon nanotubes have demonstrated remarkable electronic, optical, and mechanical properties sensitive to the diameter and helicity of the tube lattice. The tremendous recent interest in carbon nanotubes stems not only from their novel properties but also from their potential use in a variety of technological applications.